Libre battery only charging to two bars

Originally Posted by PodPeople

Is there any danger of the Libre becoming a brick if it is completely discharged?

It shouldn't be a problem as most modern electronic devices contain a small backup battery designed to provide enough power to retain your settings in case the rechargeable battery goes dead.

I haven't timed how many hours my Libre gets on a full charge yet. I need to do that, but I keep forgetting to write down the time spent reading. On the other hand, if it lasts 8-10 hours that is the most I would normally read in a day, so I could recharge it every night if I needed to. When travelling I'm always near a computer or AC wall outlet. It definitely doesn't have the longevity of my Sony PRS300 e-Ink reader, but then again the e-Ink readers don't display text as clearly as the Libre's greyscale, reflective LCD. so far I've been averaging 3 to 4 days while reading 4 to 6 hours each day before the battery low warning message appears.

[NightBird]

The manual states to charge the battery for eight full hours the first three times to condition it, I doubt many of us did that. Butt as Nakor states let it completely discharge then fully recharge it (until charging icon stops its animation) and the battery should hold a charge as advertised.

My manual didn't say that, so maybe they have put out a newer version. I am going to try this - and thanks to you and Nakor for the tips.

Originally Posted by NightBird

My manual didn't say that, so maybe they have put out a newer version. I am going to try this - and thanks to you and Nakor for the tips.

Well I was going by memory and at my age I probably shouldn't do that!

It was stated in one of my manuals I read recently, but apparently not the Libre manual. But this is a good idea with any new device that has a L-Ion or L-Poly battery.

[NightBird]

It was stated in one of my manuals I read recently, but apparently not the Libre manual.

Ahhh I will try it anyway.

[Octogenarihexate]

I had a similar problem with my jetBook (takes forever to finish charging, loses its charge very quickly while off, only ever seemed to show 2 bars of charge etc), and I found out what I was doing wrong.
It seems like leaving a book open triggers some sort of sleep mode (on the JB-5, at least). If I left a book open, instead of quitting to the main menu, I would lose all charge in about 5 days of inactivity, and the charging cycle seemed to go on forever. If I quit to the menu, both of those issues cleared right up.
Dunno if it'll help, but there you go.

[petechan]

Octagenarihexate, does your JB turn off when you press the power button when you stop reading? My libre never turns off, just goes to sleep. (some say the only way to turn it off is to reset the thing). I put it to sleep on the last page of the book I was reading, but it the power is still enough for about two weeks when reading 1/2 hour each day.

Another thread said that Li-ion batteries don't like to get discharged so that you should charge them back up when you get to the last bar. But someone here said differently, so I guess it's hard to know.

Originally Posted by petechan

Another thread said that Li-ion batteries don't like to get discharged so that you should charge them back up when you get to the last bar. But someone here said differently, so I guess it's hard to know.

I returned my Libre, decided I liked the Sony Pocket Reader PRS300 better, so I cannot read the specs, but I think the Libre has a Lithium Polymer battery rather than a Li-Ion battery. Li-Ion batteries, and perhaps Lithium Polymer batteries as well, normally should not be fully discharged because frequently doing so will shorten their life expancy. The rule of thumb for Li-Ion batteries is to never let them discharge more than 50% before recharging. However, some manuals will tell you to condition them on the first 2 or 3 cycles by charging them all the way up, letting them discharge all the way down, then recharging them all the way up again. But you should only do that on the first 2 or 3 cycles. I'm not sure if it really helps, but I guess it can't hurt to try it.

[PodPeople]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I returned my Libre, decided I liked the Sony Pocket Reader PRS300 better

Just curious -- could you tell us why you liked the Sony Pocket Reader better than the Libre?

[Nakor]

@petechan: My advice to allow the battery to fully discharge and then fully charge was only meant for people whose battery indicator appears to be significantly off. For example, if it gets to "critically low" but still stays working for two or three hours. One should not fully discharge and recharge it every time, it's generally only necessary once every 6 to 12 months so that the battery indicator "remembers" what the battery's maximum and minimum charges are. Many times, the battery indicator stays accurate even without doing so.

Again, though, this particular battery issue is a software problem, and so discharging or recharging the battery will have no effect on it.

[Octogenarihexate]

Originally Posted by petechan

Octagenarihexate, does your JB turn off when you press the power button when you stop reading? My libre never turns off, just goes to sleep. (some say the only way to turn it off is to reset the thing). I put it to sleep on the last page of the book I was reading, but it the power is still enough for about two weeks when reading 1/2 hour each day.

From what I can tell from experimenting with the thing, it'll only turn all the way off if I quit to the main menu without leaving a book "open". I use the thing for a ridiculous amount of time each day (~3hr total travel time to and from work), so it also doesn't last me very long. :P

[NightBird]

Aluratek website states the battery is a lithium polymer.

I discharged mine all the way and then charged it up all the way and now it is back to showing all 3 bars black again.